The following relates generally to printing, and more particularly, to printing images directly on a mat board.
Mat boards are typically used in the picture framing industry to provide a border between the inner edge of a picture frame and the outer edge of the picture. Mat boards are typically made of a relatively stiff cardboard stock that has a protective backing to reduce the likelihood for warping. The front face of the mat board is typically colored and/or textured in a manner that makes it easier for viewers to move their eyes back and forth between the frame and picture. Accordingly, the mat board can add to the overall aesthetic impression formed by the framed picture.
Conventional mat boards initially have a white or otherwise neutrally colored face. The face of each mat board is then colored and/or textured using one or more of a variety of conventional techniques. For example, one conventional technique includes hand-painting the mat board with brushes, rollers, or other known painting methods. If the mat board includes text (such as a title for the picture), the text is also applied to the mat board by hand, for example, by hand-printing or stamping the text on the mat board or transferring adhesive labels to the mat board. If the mat board includes French lines, these lines are typically applied using adhesive tape or a computer plotter. However, if the lines are thick and/or have an internal pattern or texture, these techniques may not be adequate. Accordingly, broad or textured French lines are typically daubed onto the mat board by hand.
One problem with the foregoing methods for treating the mat boards is that they are expensive, time consuming, and cumbersome. For example, it can be costly and time consuming to custom hand-paint each mat board. Alternatively, it is costly to maintain a stock of pre-printed mat boards because of the sheer number of mat board color and texture combinations required to be compatible with a wide variety of frames and pictures. Furthermore, the pre-printed mat boards may still require hand-applied lettering and/or French lines, further adding to the cost of the picture framing process.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a method and system for printing on a mat board, used for mounting and/or framing a selected item such as a picture. The method can include providing on a computer-readable medium, a digital image having a size scaled to the size of the mat board and transmitting the digital image to a computer printer coupled to the computer-readable medium. The method can further include printing the digital image directly on the mat board with the computer printer while the mat board is engaged with the computer printer. The digital image can be provided by scanning an image with a computer scanner, and can be manipulated before being transmitted to the computer printer. For example, the size, shape, color, contrast, focus, and brightness of the digital image can be manipulated to be compatible with a particular use of the mat board. In a further embodiment, the method can include sizing the digital image to be approximately equal in size and shape to a border region of the mat board positioned between an edge of the mat board and an interior region inward from the edge that is open or is configured to be open to allow visual access to the selected item when the selected item is placed behind the mat board.
The invention is also directed to a mat board for framing an image. In one embodiment, the mat board includes a body having a rearward-facing surface and a forward-facing surface facing opposite the rearward-facing surface. The forward-facing surface is separated from the rearward-facing surface by a distance of from about 0.040 inch to about 0.100 inch. The mat board further includes an at least partially non-porous print receiving medium at the forward-facing surface configured to receive ink from an ink jet printer and absorb at least a portion of the ink. A generally non-porous medium is positioned at the rearward-facing surface to at least restrict moisture from passing into the mat board body through the rearward-facing surface. The at least partially non-porous print receiving medium can include a hydrophilic binder polymer, a cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol, a polymeric binder, and insolublized hydrophilic polymer, and/or water soluble latex polymer.